10 Business Apps to Make You More Productive

While working adults may envision phone applications as a way for kids to kill time and forget about social skills, there are a number of business apps that make your life simpler and more efficient. Whether it’s handling business travel, connecting with colleagues, or storing important information, there are plenty of apps that will achieve all of these tasks.

With more than 800,000 iOS apps for the iPhone, 300,000 iOS apps for the iPad, and 500,000 Android apps for smartphones and tablets, there are plenty of options, but which ones are the best to use? Aggregated from various sources, here are 10 useful business apps for review. How many of these do you already have and how many do you want to get?

Google MapsWith Google Maps (iOS and Android), you no longer have to stress over missing a client consultation, field audit, or any other kind of meeting. Through voice navigation and design enhancements, you can keep your eyes on the road or walk a straight path from your hotel and reach your destination with ease. Choose different routes based on the traffic and distance (time) and access Street View, a feature enabling you to look all around the world through 360-degree street-level imagery. Whether you want to make your appointment on time or are just trying to navigate an unknown city, this is a must-have completely free app.

Smartr Contacts
Have you ever had to scrape for someone’s phone number and become frustrated when you don’t have it with you? In business, timing is everything and convenience sometimes doesn’t exist, but with the all-free Smartr Contacts (iOS and Android), both of these areas are covered with this cloud-based address book. A few simple steps enabling the app to connect to Gmail, Outlook, and social networks is all it takes to get started. This app enables you to retrieve contact information in seconds from anyone you’ve ever come across. Perhaps the best feature is the interface. Here, you can search for anything at your fingertips. The history component keeps track of all your interaction with each person up to one year in the past. This is a free app.

Documents To Go
Being prepared for a big presentation or client meeting can make or break the outcome, but if you’re out of the office and didn’t bring your laptop, you won’t have access to your computer-based software to edit and change your content. In other words, you’re sunk. With Documents To Go, you can continuously update and edit between Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Google Docs, and file share from your iPhone or Android to your computer. Although the commands and editing functions won’t be as full featured as a PC- or Apple-based version, you can still manage to accomplish basic tasks and stay ahead of the curve. Documents to Go for iOS is $9.99 and Documents to Go Premium for iOS is $16.99; Android cost is $14.99.

LinkedIn Chances are you already have a LinkedIn account, so also having the free mobile app (iOS and Android) provides on-the-go advantages. The mobile version is much more focused on an individual’s personal preferences, as well as creating an easier way to cruise through the app. Deemed as your “personal activity stream,” LinkedIn tracks your history so that the places you visit are more accessible. Moreover, the app enables you to do a quick, simple search for people, companies, groups, and jobs. It is also designed to give you a stream to more stories because LinkedIn has brought on the popular newsreader Pulse. And, like any app, you can make connections during the workday, in the evening, or while you’re traveling.

ScanBizCards
The idea of keeping track of and organizing your business cards just isn’t a high priority for many people. In many cases, those paper cards become hard to find because they may be at the bottom of your briefcase or somewhere on your desk. With ScanBizCards, you can scan the cards onto your iPhone or Android. The scanned information populates your address book or contacts—and can be edited if needed. You now have important information at your fingertips. Also, following up with new contacts is made simpler with a calendar in the app that allows you to sync to your phone, Outlook, and Google Calendars. This is a free app for iOS and Android, with a premium version for iOS at $4.99 and a premium version for Android at $6.99.

Evernote
Capture your ideas and experiences on Evernote so that your important business meeting notes, reminders, and even websites you like and want to explore at a later time will never be forgotten. This app (iOS and Android) is a member of the Apple “App Hall of Fame.” Evernote enables you to take notes, documents, photos, and audio from your phone and cloud-sync to your computer. Organizing your information by “favorites” allows you to access pertinent items more easily. There is a free, basic version, and an enhanced, premium version for $5/month or $45/year.

mSecure Password ManagerIn today’s world, security is a premium concern and identity theft is a constant fear. Remembering each of your passwords can be tedious and frustrating, but with mSecure Password Manager, your information is protected with 256-bit encryption. In other words, it would take many servers and years of effort to break your passwords. On top of that, the software gives you a self-destruct option, where the database is cleared after 5, 10, or 20 failed attempts to login—you set the number of attempts. The Android and iOS versions cost $9.99.

Google TranslateSpecifically geared for the international traveler, Google Translate (iOS and Android) has around 50 different language translations that will help you communicate in the local language. Whether you are meeting with a business contact in France, want to navigate the train in Lucerne, or bring your boss back an authentic cuckoo clock from Germany, this app will help you figure out how to get what you want. This is a free app.

Buffer
Apps are created for fast thinkers and convenience—and Buffer is no different. This app (iOS and Android) allows users to dictate when, where, and how your social media postings will occur. If posting important information across social media helps you drive business, this app allows you to schedule the time and place of delivery for your postings. A few clicks and you can use Buffer to post to Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter in no time. There is a free version or you can pay $10 per month for the full version.

Dropbox
Back in the day—which was only a few years ago—we had to search through hundreds of emails and documents for important files. With Dropbox (iOS and Android), you can easily store and access content through the cloud. From photos to videos to documents, this app allows users to automatically upload and access information from their phone and tablet, and is especially handy for large files; instead of sending the files by email, you can store the files in Dropbox and provide a link for sharing. Although this is a free app for individuals that offers 2 GB of online storage, there is a scalable version for individuals who need more storage, and a scalable business version intended for multiple users on the same account.

Apps Matter
Of course, there are many more apps than just the 10 listed here. The sky’s the limit when it comes to iOS and Android apps, but the trick is to find the ones that are not only easy to use, but also integrate with your daily work and personal life. There’s nothing worse than buying a $10 app and having it sit in your phone unused. Ask your peers for recommendations on what they like and do some Internet searches. At the end of the day, it’s all about productivity.

Other than the 10 apps listed here, what is your favorite business app and how does it help you? Comment below.